Swimming takes fifth at PSACs

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The Shippensburg University men’s and women’s swimming teams wrapped up their seasons with fifth-place finishes in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships.

The men’s swimming team had its best finish in the past eight years, scoring 381.5 points.

The strong effort was led by junior Jeff Beyer, who finished with 60 individual points. Beyer had an All-PSAC performance in the 1,650-yard freestyle, finishing third with a time of 16:10.22. He also finished second in the 1,000-yard freestyle, third in the 500-yard freestyle and eighth in the 200-yard freestyle.

Many of SU’s freshmen on the men’s swimming team put together good performances in the PSAC Championships. Of the 243.5 points scored in individual races this week, 126 points (52 percent) were provided by first-year collegiate swimmers.

Freshmen Matt Bochanski and Andrew Hale finished second and third, respectively, in the 200-yard breaststroke. Bochanski came within 0.37 seconds from setting a new school record in the event.

Hale finished the week as the team’s second-leading individual point getter, placing seventh in the 200-yard individual medley and 10th in the 200-yard freestyle.

Andrew Hale has a solid all-around week at the PSAC Championship in York.

Bochanski had a great freshman season for the Raiders. He holds the school record for the 200-yard breaststroke, and he ranks fifth all-time at SU in the 100-yard breaststroke, 10th in the 200-yard individual medley and fourth in the 400-yard individual medley.

Freshmen Vin Salvatore and Dawson Mohl finished 12th and 13th respectively in the 1,650-yard freestyle. It was the first collegiate “mile” for Salvatore.

The women’s swimming team’s fifth-place effort was headlined by a good set of performances from junior Gabriella Johnson. The team totaled 633.5 points in the PSAC Championships, totaling 32 individual scoring performances.

Johnson claimed the gold in the 200-yard breaststroke in what was one of the most exciting finishes of the week. She out-touched Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Claire Mikesell by one-tenth of a second to win that event. Johnson finished the event in 2:17.71 — a personal-best time for the 200-yard breaststroke.

“I was a little nervous, but I was also very determined and confident. I knew that I was ready physically and mentally,” Johnson said after the meet.

Johnson contributed 87 points for the Raiders. In addition to the 200-yard breaststroke, she finished seventh in the 200-yard freestyle and swam on four of SU’s relays.

“My team’s support is one of the most important aspects of my success. I am extremely grateful and blessed to not just have one team but to have two teams that are right there with me through everything,” Johnson said.

“I’m especially grateful for the swimmers support and for welcoming me halfway through the season. Their genuine happiness for me is something special and I hope that they know it is reciprocated in all of their success.”

The 200-yard backstroke proved to be one of the more successful events for the Raiders in the PSAC Championships, as five different members of the team reached the finals.

Senior Carly Alvarado finished sixth with a time of 2:05.43, just 0.26 seconds off her lifetime best. Alvarado placed in this event in all four of her years at Shippensburg.

Sophomore Mari Reott tallied 59.5 points throughout the week, finishing sixth in the 100-yard backstroke, 16th in the 100-yard butterfly and 17th in the 200-yard individual medley while also contributing to the 400-yard medley relay.

Overall, the men’s and women’s swimming teams completed their season with successful PSAC Championships.